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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23899297">Stepping into the Middle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arytra/pseuds/Arytra'>Arytra</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Power Rangers Lost Galaxy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Also canonical coming back from death, Also regular family, Death is kinda wibbly wobbly in Power Rangers, Found Family, Gen, Kendrix is so a middle child now, Mike needs to mother hen at all times, background Leo/Kai, canonical deaths, pretty fluffy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 17:09:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,228</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23899297</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arytra/pseuds/Arytra</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kendrix doesn't have any siblings until she suddenly does.  Leo and Mike don't have a sister until they suddenly do.  Because sometimes, you just need to add in a member to the family.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Stepping into the Middle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Kendrix didn't have any siblings nor had she had a close relationship with her parents.  If she had, she might have stayed on Earth instead of rushing to the stars.  They had never stopped her from following her dreams, but they also hadn't supported them either.  They were just there.  She'd always loved science and now was no different.  She had applied to be a science officer when Terra Venture was forming and even without her have a doctorate, she was allowed to be extremely high up in command for the department.  It was something she did wonder about, but she'd been reassured that she had earned her way there through skills that they hadn't found in technically more skilled researchers.  Commander Stranton had assured her that if she had stayed on Earth, she would have easily gotten a doctorate if she chose to, but Kendrix decided against it as she chose Terra Venture instead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had found a deep friendship with Kai, she had a good relationship with several of the other scientists, and she did well in her position.  She had done well in training and it solidified her position.  She was perfectly happy with this arrangement and when asked, she had explained that she wasn't close to her family and was an only child.  Yet, as they prepared, she found the second in command seemingly forgetting that fact.  "Have you been sleeping?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I slept.  Just not as much as you seem to want me to," she informed him, not bothering to hide her amused smile.  "And Kai made breakfast so yes, I ate."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Remember when you didn't last week and passed out next to the plant hybrids?"  Mike asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I didn't pass out.  I took a strategic nap," she corrected.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No one swears that much when they're woken from a strategic nap, Kendrix," he told her.  "You should try hard, but you don't have to kill yourself proving to the rest of us you belong here."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mike," she said with a slight sigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I mean it," he said.  She gave him a look.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Can't you go mother hen Kai?"  She asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"No," he said.  "He won't let me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maybe I shouldn't either," she said, but when his smile faded slightly, she wished she could take it back.  "I'll go to sleep early tonight."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His smile was back and her guilt faded.  She wasn't sure why Mike felt he needed to mother hen, but she did wonder if he was lonely.  It wouldn't hurt her to let him do it.  He nodded to her.  "Thank you."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Uh huh," she said.  "But don't blame me when some of this doesn't get done in time."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How ahead schedule are you for the week?"  He asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's not important," she said quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Kendrix..." he pushed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"4 hours," she said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"4... Kendrix!"  He said and she just laughed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I'll sleep!"  She promised.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You better," he warned and she rolled her eyes as he left.  She didn't understand at all why he got like this, but at least now he was calming down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she found out about Leo explained a lot about Mike's behavior to her though she and he had very little in common with each other.  Mike just needed someone to take care since he had been watching over Leo the entire time and she had easily fit that description.  Maybe it was because Kendrix was so different from Leo that Mike felt comfortable transferring his mother henning to her.  Before she could really ponder it, their world changed.  Everything was a blur from happening so fast, but she did learn that she had gained a power and team while losing an old friend and suddenly she had all too much in common with Leo.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She had searched him out that night, going to the door and knocking.  He answered it, still getting used to be on Terra Venture as well as everything that came with it.  He smiled when he saw her, but it didn't reach his eyes.  She was certain it didn't for her either and she gently asked to talk about Mike so that Leo could talk about it.  She had never had a little brother before, but she found herself catching him before he collapsed on the floor of the room, holding him to her while he sobbed for losing Mike.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know," she whispered as she gently combed her fingers through his hair.  She didn't promise him it would be okay.  She just sat there and stared off, glad that she had run out of tears earlier.  Eventually, he began to quiet down and Kendrix just smiled at him softly as they stayed on the floor in a few minutes of companionable silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I haven't lived without him," he told her finally.  "He's been there my whole life."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You'll do fine," she assured him.  "If he thought you'd be alright on Earth alone, then he can't worry too much if you're here among friends.  You're not alone, Leo."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Your eyes are still red, Kendrix," he told her, motioning to how she'd been crying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I know," she admitted.  "I miss him too."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"How long did you know my brother?"  Leo asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Since I was approved to be here," she said.  She paused and then continued.  "He kept worrying that I wasn't sleeping enough or that I would forget to eat."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leo understood what she was saying and fortunately didn't seem to mind sharing.  "That's Mike.  Sorry he dragged you into it because he couldn't check up on me."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I didn't mind," she said.  "I didn't have a brother or a sister."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And now?"  He asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"It looks like I have a little brother," she said with a smile.  He huffed before trying to return the smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I hope you're less pushy than he is," he said, accepting it.  He needed this as much as she did.  Kendrix just smiled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the Magna Defender fell and Mike returned, Kendrix was the first to get there for no other reason than Leo was in shock.  She was overjoyed to see him and he easily returned her hug as well of the greetings from the others.  She was nervous about how both brothers would react, but relaxed when they clung to each other.  She was just beaming, thrilled that all was right in the world again.  That night, she heard the knock on her room and went to answer it.  She was surprised when both Corbett brothers were standing there, but left her quarters anyway when they asked her to.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Where are we going?"  She asked.  "It's nine o'clock.  One of you came back from the dead.  You should be resting!"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Was she this way the entire time I was gone?"  Mike asked.  Leo scoffed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sometimes.  Mostly she was just supportive," Leo answered.  "Stop worrying, Kendrix.  We're celebrating."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We did that earlier," she reminded him.  "All of us, Kai made dinner and we celebrated."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And now it's time for a family celebration," Mike told her.  She gave him a look that reminded him that she wasn't actually their sister.  "You're close enough to family."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You two should do this on your own," she warned, starting to turn around but Leo gently grabbed her arm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Better come before Mike throws you over his shoulder," he warned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He wouldn't," she said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"He did to me," Leo said with a shrug.  Mike's look told her that he would absolutely do it.  She gave an exasperated sigh, but followed anyway.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leo leaned against his brother as they told her old stories.  She found herself entangled with them, all of them just needing physical contact to prove that Mike was back, as the night went on, falling asleep.  She guessed that Mike had warned Maya because her roommate didn't come looking for her.  Leo just looked at her as she started to drift.  "Thank you for sticking around."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I learned from a master," she said.  Mike groaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Go to sleep.  Both of you," he grumbled, though she did notice that he had a loving death grip on both of them.  They shared a laugh and fell asleep.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Kendrix hadn't had a sibling when she joined Terra Venture, her parents hadn't protested when she left, and she had no blood family that would know to mourn her.  She did, however, have a team that would be devastated, a fellow Pink Ranger who would suffer from guilt, and two brothers who would be going through a repeat through the feelings they had when they had thought Mike was dead.  She tried to be reassuring.  She made sure her sword made it to the right person.  And then she was finished.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right up until she was brought back at the end of the fight.  She didn't know what had happened.  She wasn't allowed to remember her time being dead assuming that there was anything to remember.  She did know that this was most definitely Mirinoi and she was definitely home.  She celebrated with the rest of them, enjoying every moment that she was able to have back with her teammates.  She was thrilled to officially meet Karone.  She was thrilled to have a place to live, but she felt unsure about where she was in their lives.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her team had, fortunately, continued on without her and she didn't know how that was going to affect things moving forward.  Karone had more than earned it and she didn't want to uproot the other woman just because she wasn't dead anymore considering that wasn't the other Pink's fault.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Fortunately, they immediately pulled her back in, but tried to make her feel comfortable about it at her own pace.  Well, most of them did.  "Are you ready to rejoin us now?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Leo, didn't Mike tell you to stop pushing when he thought I wasn't listening?"  She scolded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mike's wrong," Leo said.  "So is Kai.  Though telling him that did not help my sex life."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I wouldn't think so," Kendrix agreed.  "It's okay, Leo.  All of you were able to move on and that's what I wanted you to do.  I just don't know where I fit in anymore."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Leo just stared at her.  "That's what this is over?"</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What did you think it was over?"  She asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Mike figured that you were just still hurting from having been kinda dead," Leo said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I was dead," she said, but he didn't seem to notice. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Kendrix, you're still part of this team," he said.  "Just because you had to leave in the middle of it..."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Died, Leo," she said a second time with a sigh. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Doesn't mean you weren't part of it.  Besides," he started, but stopped.  "We're going to go find Mike."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She didn't protest.  Mike should let him to let it go and she could go back to figuring things out.  Sure enough Mike did frown when he saw Leo dragging her over before sighing.  "We talked about this."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"And I was right and you were wrong," he said.  "It's not about her having been dead.  She doesn't feel like she belongs now."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"She is standing right here," Kendrix said from behind him.  Mike looked at her.  He didn't need to ask her if that was true.  He was reading her like a book.  She didn't protest a second time, but did find herself being held by both brothers.  Mike looked at her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Even if you didn't have a place on the team, and you do, you're still a member of this family," he said sternly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I told you we should have pushed for her to take our last name," Leo joked.  Kendrix blinked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"What?"  She asked.  Mike let her go slightly so he could look at her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Leo and I mourned you as as Ranger," he said.  "And then we mourned the death of our sister."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"We adopted you a long time ago," Leo said.  "So even without the team, you're still a Corbett."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"If I go looking, I'm still going to find myself listed until Kendrix Morgan for my obituarary, right?"  She asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Of course," Mike assured her.  "I made sure Leo didn't go anywhere near it."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Maya thought my idea was sweet," Leo argued.  Mike shot him a look that informed him that he didn't care if Maya thought it was sweet.  Kendrix was just relieved that the older Corbett brother was more practical.  Mike turned back toward her and the look softened considerably. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"You have no idea how much I've missed you," Mike said.  "You are the best peacekeeper this family has ever had."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"That's because Kendrix is the middle sibling so she's like a mix of us.  But with more patience," Leo said, directing the last part at his older brother.  Kendrix just looked at the two men. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Sounds like I'm needed," she said quietly.  Mike pulled her back into the hug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"More than you'll ever know," he promised.  Leo joined in.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"Don't leave us again," he told her.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>"I won't," she assured him.  "Neither of you die either."</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He just nodded and Mike strengthened his grip around them both.  She relaxed into, knowing that just because things had changed and had been changing from the day she agreed on the job, meant that she was with a family who needed her.  Kendrix didn't have blood siblings nor was she close to her parents, but she did have two brothers who needed her.</span>
</p>
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